Microsoft announced it will bring its instant messaging software to mobile devices and cell phones. The company also announced a partnership with BlackBerry maker RIM to give its users instant messaging functionality.

Such products are aimed at office workers who need to send instant text messages without having to sit in front of a desktop or a notebook personal computer, but also want the ability to keep such communications secure and available for later retrieval.

Microsoft expects demand for corporate instant messaging and web-conferencing solutions will rise as companies encourage employees to work together remotely, rather than doing costly business trips.

The mobile version of Microsoft Office Communicator is planned for the second half of this year. This program will track whether users are online and allow them to swap text messages between phones and between cell phones and a PC.